30+ MCAT study habits???

[confewshz]

Hello everyone,

I know this question has been asked a zillion times, but I like to get fresh perspectives. For those who got 30+ MCAT scores(SouthernGirl, beanbean, JScrusader, Samoa, nero, and anyone else who has a 30+ MCAT score), can you post the following information please? It would be greatly appreciated.

1) Your individual scores and composite score

2) The study method used for each section

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

4) Which practice tests did you use?

5) What was your undergraduate major?

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

Thanks guys and congrats to everyone who recently took the MCAT ,

confewshz

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[jhrugger]

me: 31Q (10v10p11b), took TPR for the aug mcat after sophomore year, molec bio major at jh. started study in june, when TPR class started.

advice: the same advice that has been handed down by the sages-practice, practice, practice.. any tests you can get your hands on. i spent too long studying info and learning alot of bio rather than taking practice tests ad nauseum. learn from this and take as many practice tests as you can, and i'm sure your score will be high.

did i mention to take practice tests?

also. try, if you can, to put aside more than a couple months for review. this is an important test and tiring enough that you probably won't want to take it again.

good luck if you are taking the mcat soon, and congrats if you have already taken it.

-jhrugger

 

[lovez]

Hello everyone,

I know this question has been asked a zillion times, but I like to get fresh perspectives. For those who got 30+ MCAT scores(SouthernGirl, beanbean, JScrusader, Samoa, nero, and anyone else who has a 30+ MCAT score), can you post the following information please? It would be greatly appreciated.

1) Your individual scores and composite score

38Q 12-V 12-PS 14-Bio

2) The study method used for each section

I had been out of school for 10 years when I decided to take the test, so I needed a crash course. I started studying in January. I did not feel I was ready in April and took the August test. In the beginning, I tried using a friends Kaplan/Barron's books, but needed more structure, less XBOX, so ended up taking the Kaplan course (in May?). I think I got a 24 on the first assessment test (11V 6PS 7B).

Verbal: I've always been a reader, so did not study for this section. I think the Kaplan/AAMC practice tests (8 of them) were helpful in that they give an idea of the types of questions that are favored. The paraphrasing thing espoused by Kaplan did not work for me. Just read the damn section and answer the questions. I find it hard to believe that one could improve their scores in this section except by improving things such as your pacing and stamina.

Physical: When I took the first test, I got a 6 in this section. I didn't remember any quantitative physics at all. Chemistry was little better. To study, I read the Kaplan Physical Sciences book chapter by chapter. I took notes from this book as I read. Then I studied the notes. I did the problems in the book. Lectures were basically worthless. The online practice material at Kaplan was excellent. I downloaded, printed, and completed every exam and study guide twice (a couple of weeks apart).

Bio: I've been working as a molecular genetics tech for 8 years (6 weeks to go), so the weighting of the test towards genetics and molecular biology was in my favor. OChem, on the other hand, had completely evaporated, I needed to re-learn. Again, I read the Kaplan book, all of the chapters in which I was rusty. I took notes on these chapters. I downloaded and printed all the Kaplan Bio exams and study guides, twice. I found it extremely helpful that I'd just taken Human Anatomy and Physiology at the local University, it really helped for the organ system/tissue/cell physiology structure/function questions.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

Kaplan (all their material, especially online stuff)
AAMC (practice tests)

4) Which practice tests did you use?

Kaplan & AAMC

5) What was your undergraduate major?

Biology (Molecular)

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Do a little bit every day. Retake the same test a few weeks later if you run out of stuff to do. Repetition and immersion is key. Don't pay to much attention to the Kaplan (or whatever class you take, if any) mnemonics and dogmas. Alot of them seemed stupid to me, anyway. The valuable part is the study materials and test simulations.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

8 months

 

[ball372]

Any thoughts on which books are better study guides for the MCAT? Am low on $$ and would like to narrow the field.....

 

[ball372]

Any thoughts as to which offers the best study guides/books for the MCAT?

 

[IndyZX]

wrong thread, dude. try a search.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Wow, all these high 30's.

 

[MoosePilot]

Wow, all these high 30's.

No kidding. Wow.

 

[MoosePilot]

1) 39Q all 13s

Someone mentioned all the high scores so I looked back through this thread. A 39 is insane! I looked and in 2003 only 411ish people did this well or better. That's got to help admissions, being in the top 400 people...

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Someone mentioned all the high scores so I looked back through this thread. A 39 is insane! I looked and in 2003 only 411ish people did this well or better. That's got to help admissions, being in the top 400 people...

Yeah it must be nice, but MCAT isn't everything, its all about the person. There was a guy in there who had a 39 and was rejected initially. Anyway, the highest I've seen in there is a 40, anyone see higher?

 

[MoosePilot]

Yeah it must be nice, but MCAT isn't everything, its all about the person. There was a guy in there who had a 39 and was rejected initially. Anyway, the highest I've seen in there is a 40, anyone see higher?

Yeah, but if you have a 39, then you just have to worry about the person, so you've at least got it half licked

 

[harmlessfun21]

there was a 43 in my post-bacc group - she got into every medical school she applied to (she had an amazing background and qualifications) - last I heard she was deciding between harvard and baylor

 

[MoosePilot]

there was a 43 in my post-bacc group - she got into every medical school she applied to (she had an amazing background and qualifications) - last I heard she was deciding between harvard and baylor

There wasn't a single 43 in 2003. That's a big achievement, because she was likely the highest score of whatever year she got that.

 

[clumpymold]

There wasn't a single 43 in 2003. That's a big achievement, because she was likely the highest score of whatever year she got that.

When I was in college, I met someone who had gotten a 45. He was this super nerd and ended up getting accepted to Harvard medical. Wow. THAT guy was smart. But that was back in like 1997 or 1998 or so.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I'm glad most of these people won't be competing with us this cycle. It is unfortunate that this April's MCAT will spawn another group of 35+'s to compete with us.

 

[willthatsall]

There wasn't a single 43 in 2003. That's a big achievement, because she was likely the highest score of whatever year she got that.

Why do you say there were no 43's?

 

[MoosePilot]

Why do you say there were no 43's?

I looked at the score breakdown on: http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/examineedata/combined03.pdf

It shows 0.0% of people getting a 43 composite. Someone said in another thread that just means almost nobody got it, which could be true. Technically 0.04% could round down to 0.0%. So up to 23.5 people could have gotten a 43 and it could be invisible.

 

[bigbassinbob]

When I was in college, I met someone who had gotten a 45. He was this super nerd and ended up getting accepted to Harvard medical. Wow. THAT guy was smart. But that was back in like 1997 or 1998 or so.

NOBODY has ever made a 45 on the MCAT.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Someone really needs to email the AAMC and ask how many people in history have 44 or 45's.

 

[MoosePilot]

Someone really needs to email the AAMC and ask how many people in history have 44 or 45's.

Ughh. As many times as I've mailed them, that's really the last thing that I care about

It's an interesting question, sure, but I don't want to use up one of my finite emails to AAMC. I'm sure they track it and put how many times you mail on your permanent record.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Just create a new yahoo or hotmail account. I'd do it, but I'm afraid they might do an IP search or something and find me, maybe I could it from a public library while my friend distracts the security cameras.

 

[clumpymold]

NOBODY has ever made a 45 on the MCAT.

And you know that how?

 

[The Hen]

Guys, let's help out the August takers:

Score: 14BS 10V, 10PS

USed textbooks and AAMC 3-7

That's it

 

[blz]

Guys, let's help out the August takers:

Score: 14BS 10V, 10PS

USed textbooks and AAMC 3-7

That's it

Damn, I'm sure you really helped them out with that one

 

[The Hen]

Damn, I'm sure you really helped them out with that one

WHat else do you want me to say? I studied for about 2 weeks (12 hours a day)

 

[MoosePilot]

36Q 13V/11P/12B

I took TPR and used their material alone to study. I was a zoo major, took lots of good classes, but it's been almost ten years and I got a 2.88 science GPA, so TPR was the bomb.

Took normal TPR diags and AAMC 5R and 6R in simulated conditions.

Made flashcards for important facts and used those to review throughout to the point of obsession.

 

[IndyZX]

the hen, try adding "and I'm an arrogant son of a gun right underneath", that should about cover it.

 

[IndyZX]

1) Your individual scores and composite score

38O 11V 14P 13B

2) The study method used for each section

VR: I kind of ignored this section up until one month before the test. I got a 12 on AAMC 3R and 4R, so I figured it was no big deal. Well, on AAMC 5R, 6R, and 7, my scores on VR declined to a 11, 10, and 10. I didn't really do much to counter this slide except a last minute desperate surge through about half of EK 101, which didn't really do much to boost my confidence. I went into this section very shaky and just hoped for the best.

PS: The area where I felt most confident towards the end, but where I was least prepared at the beginning. I never took Physics II, so I had to learn all that stuff about optics, waves, and e&m by myself. It turned out not to be so bad though, and the barebones science (which is all you need to know) was fairly easy. General chemistry is a class I never understood while I took it in school, but Examkrackers was very helpful here in explaining things in the simplest terms possible.

BS: ExamKrackers was pretty much all I used for biology and organic chemistry, though I felt that the organic section was too thin if you happen to have absolutely no intuitiveness for organic. I cheated a little and put off studying organic for a while, because studying biology was a lot more bearable, but you shouldn't do that unless you have a fairly good grasp of organic. Remember, this isn't like your college organic chemistry -- it's all about those basic concepts (where are the electrons?, carbonyls, basic reactions). Memorize info about organic techniques (separations, spectroscopy, etc) for easy points.


3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

VR: EK 101
PS: EK, Nova Physics, Kaplan
BS: EK, Kaplan

4) Which practice tests did you use?

AAMC 3R, 4R, 5R, 6R, 7

AAMC 3R 11P, 12V, 10B
AAMC 4R 11P, 12V, 11B
AAMC 5R 11P, 11V, 12B
AAMC 6R 12P, 10V, 12B
AAMC 7_ 13P, 10V, 11B

5) What was your undergraduate major?

History, but I basically change majors on a semester basis.

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

A little bit each day, don't overdo it. Take lots of official practice tests, and realize that half of your improvement will come from reviewing those tests after you've taken them. Make sure you know how to do every single science problem on those sections; that will help a lot. I don't know what to tell you on verbal, except you might want to try doing as I did, which is basically nothing and then hoping for the best.

Also, be confident on test day -- you're going to peak.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

2-3 hours a day for about 4 months.

 

[Kazema]

Since I totally cannot sleep at all, I may as well give my advice:

1) Your individual scores and composite score

14V 14P 12B
40P

2) The study method used for each section

Verbal
Don't know what to say about this one, if you look at my posts in the practice exam threads my verbal score has always been 10+. My lowest score came when I read and reread passages trying to figure stuff out, leaving 10 minutes to do 3 passages. I guess the best advice I can give is just to not spend too much time on any one passage or question. And do tons of practice to get used to the format.

EDIT to add: One thing I just remembered that really helped me was identifying question types, and finding out what types of questions gave me the most trouble. So when I encountered those questions I remembered what kind of mistakes I usually made. I had a habit of picking answers that were too strongly worded, but by understanding that I was able to avoid that trap on the real thing.

Biological Science
I read the TPR review book cover to cover, including the glossary and did all of the problems in the science workbook. Besides that I don't know what to say, I think that for Bio you either know it or you don't; when you know it you can apply it to pretty much any situation they throw at you. And definitely, definitely, memorize the hormones.

Physical Science
This was my weakest section when I first started; in my classes we never had to memorize any formulas so I just did the homeworks and didn't have any trouble. It wasn't until studying for the MCAT that I realized that I didn't really understand any of the physical concepts at a fundamental level. Once I got that down (again, read the book, did problems, got help) it was just a matter of memorizing the useful formulas.

In general, just do as much practice as humanly possible. Practice problems, practice tests, whatever you can get your hands on.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

I took the TPR course, which also offered AAMC 5R and 6R. Results will vary, but I went from a 28 on my first practice to a 40 on the real thing.

4) Which practice tests did you use?

TPR 4902, 4911, 4921, 4931, and AAMC 5R and 6R

5) What was your undergraduate major?

Cognitive Science

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Start early, but not TOO early. 4 to 6 months is probably about right. You want to have enough time to cover everything without rushing, but not so much time that you burn out from studying. This ended up happening to me, at about 2 weeks from the test I was sick of studying and wanted to get the damn thing over with. At that point I was pretty much as ready as I could possibly be, but I can see how getting sick of studying 2 months before the test would be a problem.

Study whenever you have spare time. Don't overdo it; everyone needs some time to relax and unwind, but make sure you're not wasting any time.

Like IndyZX said, be confident on test day. Remind yourself that you're totally prepared and will kick ass. Scout the test room if you can, it'll help ease some of the jitters the next day. I went in the day before and read an entire newspaper in my testing room. When I walked in for the actual thing I felt pretty calm; I'd already been there before. If you feel like you bombed a section forget it and move on to the next. I thought I bombed PS after finishing that section (but turned out to be totally wrong). I didn't let my uncertainties affect the rest of my test though.

Also, I would suggest not studying at all for the last couple days leading up to the test. If you've been studying for a long time, a couple more days won't do anything but freak you out. Treat yourself to the best food and several relaxing but active days leading up to the test. Go out with your friends but don't get drunk. Keep yourself busy doing easy, fun, and non-repetitive tasks. Keep your mind rested but sharp.

And get plenty of sleep in all the days leading up to the test. You don't know if you'll be freaking out the night before. I was; I couldn't sleep because I kept getting the feeling that I was suffocating just as I would be about to fall asleep. I got less than 3 hours of sleep that night, but since I had gotten 8 to 9 hours every night for the week prior, the one bad night of sleep didn't affect me as much as it could have.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

Just about 4 months. That's 4 months of 8 hours of class on weekends and ~20 hours a week studying, more or less depending on homework/projects/exams.

 

[Sahani]

1) 34 = 12V 11P 11B Q

2) Verbal: I began reading books more often the summer before, prob read about 4-7 books like Atlas Shrugged until about January. Then looked over the Examcrakers book briefly. Best tip they had was to take a 5 second break between each passage. And before beginning.
Physical Science: Used Kaplan (Craplan) Comp Review. I wish I had bought EK and gone through them, but I got it too late to use. Reviewed concepts, read through and took notes with Kaplan book. Focused on enzyme kinetics, newtonian mech and light/sound.
Biological Science: I lacked any systems phys, mostly had molec bio/cell bio. Reviewed organ systems (KIDNEYS! know them, at least one question from what I've seen.) Reviewed Orgo, my weakeness, esp nitrogen deriv, they seem to be a favorite. Still weak on Orgo, but knew all my DNA, RNA etc stuff inside out.
Q: Writing... nothing.

3) Kaplan Comprehensive Review... don't use this garbage, has mistakes and not nearly close to EK. I wish I had use the latter, but it did me well for learning Kidney stuff the day before. No courses; no time.

4) Bought 7 bootlegged MCATs from someone on eBay. Didn't know until they arrived, but it was good to take a 1991, 1995 and 1999 MCAT which focused on my trouble areas of MCAT, but not great with the reordering of sections. Threw a curveball on test day a bit when I wasn't used to it as much as the old way. Took 3 of them and got 33's on all of them, pre and post review, but the breakdown was wildly diff each time. Go figure.

5) Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Finance. The first major had me pretty well off for the molecular bio/genetics questions they increased. At some points I knew more than the exam question was adressing, and even caught a mistake in an old MCAT. What had more endocytosis, a neuron or a phagocyte. A neuron, as far as I know!

6) Guage your level based on what you just received and make a game plan. Stick to it. It's not an exam that involved "thinking" like Kaplan says, it's a knowledge based exam like they say. Sure, you need logic, but ultimately, you build upon your core base of science skills. Focus on knowing the material, and remember to just kill yourself in the process of doing practices. You're not going to get better pacing yourself to just do what you want, you have to push your limits so you can excel. If you can't finish a section, do 5 of them in a row until you're sick of it and have speed. I wish I had made more time to study, but my goals and constraints made for what I planned in practice, and I accomplished my goal. You will, too, but be honest and work hard. Never. Give. Up.

7) Odd as it may seem, about 7 days, from 4-9 hours a day, half day of rest before the exam, and I had an emergency come up the day before, not to mention the requisite insomnia... In the end, I was good.

Good tip I found was not to bring any real hard candy to suck on or gum, just m and m's for some quick glucose in the break, a bottle of water, a light lunch, and a bottle of espresso to sip a bit of during the day to keep you going. Caffeine is shown to improve performace. I don't believe in alderol, but caffeine is a milder, effective substitute that does well in terms of fatigue, when you take it in a controlled way so you don't shake and what not.

I didn't do stellar, like the 38-40's, but I think I was effective with my planning from the initial diagnostic I took.

 

[t00mies]

1) Your individual scores and composite score

9V 14P 12B
35

2) The study method used for each section

Verbal
weakest section for me (obviously, now); there's no real way to study up on verbal reasoning; i think the biggest part that helped me was to do a lot of practice problems - i used the kaplan Q bank, and practiced the AAMC tests (3R-6R); after working a lot of problems, you can get a feel for the types of questions that they ask you, and you will also see what TYPES of questions you are weak at

Biological Science
i went over the review material in the kaplan books to get an idea of the material, but as with all review books, it is a REVIEW; i ended up re-reading my anatomy/physiology book and my o-chem books; i was taking o-chem II at the same time, and the MCAT was in the middle, so i had to read ahead of the class and learn carboxylic acids, amino acids, and the last 1/5 of the book by myself

Physical Science
this section was the easiest for me (i have an electrical engineering degree already) -- once you understand the concepts in physics, the rest is just math; again, my studying was to review the summaries in the kaplan books, and then i went and read my physics book and my gen chem book

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

no prep courses taken here; i did take a leave of absence from my work (it is too hard to study for the MCAT and work 50 hours a week); i got a hold of some 1997-vintage Kaplan prep books (free); i bought the Kaplan Q bank online ($130), and paid for access to the AAMC practice exams (3R thru 6R) ($80)


4) Which practice tests did you use?

Kaplan Q bank and AAMC 3R thru 6R

5) What was your undergraduate major?

Electrical/Computer Engineering

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

start about 2-3 months out, not too early because you will burn out before test day (as kazema mentioned)

again, i didn't take a prep class like kaplan or TPR - i looked over their material, and i found some value in the subject review material, but that is only 50% of the book; the rest is just practice problems, and "strategies" -- i didn't use any of their strategies...

true and kinda scary story from test day -- after each section, there is a 10 minute break, so everyone shuffles out to the hallway for a breather; all the people that took a prep course congregated into their own groups to discuss the test; i joined into a TPR group to chat and to get the general feel for how they felt the test was -- these guys were debating over what a 'fulcrum' was in a hammer/nail diagram -- unfortunately, the fulcrum wasn't covered in their reivew, so 1/2 of them didn't know what it was!

sorry, my point is that a prep course won't prepare you for everything. with 2-3 months, you can review your books by yourself, and get *some* knowledge about the subjects. work practice problems (kaplan Q bank) to gauge your understanding of each section. take practice tests, to get a "feel" for how you will do on the real thing.

reading books can be boring, and you may lose focus. learn to recognize when this happens, so you can minimize it. when you start drifting from the study, put that book down, and start reading another.

about every two weeks, take one of the AAMC practice exams, i didn't take the whole exam at once, i took them by sections. on the practice tests, i was getting 30 and 31s.

[edited to add]
oh yeah, take advil or tylenol, and a blanket to the test. i only took advil, because i know from my practice testing that my head hurts after the verbal section. i started with two advil in the morning with breakfast, and then two advil after each test section. my head still hurt at the end, but it was a numbed out pain... probably from the advil, and probably from the fact that the test of DOOM was over..

like the test coupon says, dress appropriately and in layers for the test, as the test facility may have a environment different than the one you are accustomed to. in shorts and a t-shirt, i was dressed for comfort and comfortable when i got the testing center; then they divided us into groups by our last names. i was in the group A-D, we were led into a lecture room that apparently doubles as a meat locker, becuase it was FREEZING!! but better too cold than too hot....


7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

2 months. i had o-chem II during the time, but you can count that as studying. nothing else but study... no work... very little play. it was hard at the time, but now, i can be happy with my score.


good luck!!

 

[sfbear]

36S - 11VR, 12PS, 13BS

One note for those who haven't been in school for a while: ignore all those saying don't start too early. If you're working full-time, I'd say slow and steady is the way to go. I started in November because I knew that I'd have only a little time every day.

Bottom line: learn the material early, start practice tests 4-6 months out, and do more than one type of practice test. Don't forget about verbal (if I hadn't, my score would've been a bit higher, but I'm okay with it as is). The MCAT is much more concepts than computation, so memorizing formulas will only get you so far.

Good luck!

 

[KatieOConnor]

1) Your individual scores and composite score

13 VR 13 PS 12 BS

2) The study method used for each section

I did practice passages for VR, made literally hundreds of flashcards for bio, and did practice tests, and I did practice tests and problems for PS

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

I used Exam Krackers for Orgo (1001 orgo questions) and I did a TPR course, and used all of their stuff.

4) Which practice tests did you use?

I bought all the AAMC tests available at e-mcat, I did most of TPR practice tests A-D, and did the 3 TPR practice tests.

5) What was your undergraduate major?

Chemistry- a huge advantage in PS as I did not have to study much for that section

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Make flashcards for bio and carry them with you everywhere. And, don't give up hope, I choked my first time and ended up with a 27.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?

I started this past January, although I'd studied before for the 2001 April MCAT which I bombed. I did not get any days off from work to study and I went through tremendous personal tragedy while I was studying this past time. (Family member diagnosed w cancer, family member seriously injured...)

 

[liverotcod]

1) Your individual scores and composite score.
39Q PS 13 VR 13 BS 13

2) The study method used for each section
AAMC practice test -> review explanations -> mark Kaplan book at areas of difficulty -> review/study areas of difficulty -> next AAMC practice test.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
Kaplan book, which was sometimes not very clear. I do better by understandin the principle and applying it rather than memorization. So I used my textbooks as well.

4) Which practice tests did you use?
AAMC 3-6.

5) What was your undergraduate major?
American & English Languages and Literature (fancy name for English).

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Practice tests. Work really hard at the pre-req courses. Work really hard in humanities courses to improve VR. I expect that grades in humanities courses are strongly correlated to VR scores, while grades in pre-req courses are strongly correlated to BS and PS scores.

Take the test as soon as possible after completing pre-req coursework. For me, that meant taking it while in Organic II and Physics II. But I barely needed to study organic and physics at all, because it was so fresh.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Including practice test hours, about 100 hours between January and the exam.

 

[adamj61]

12 12 7V, I just borrowed some princeton review books, sat in some free practice tests...took a ton of practice tests. I took some of the AMCAS ones, which are a better indicator for sure. Maybe I should have done a few more verbal passages...but I always averaged around a 9 or 10...so maybe I just had a bad run.

 

[stinkycheese]

34Q. 11P 10V 13B.

Biological Sci: I made sure I knew the material back to front, including lab techniques, but didn't do many passages.

Verbal: all passages.

Physical Sciences: I just lucked out. I suck at Physics and got a section that was heavy on the G-chem. Pure, dumb luck. But I did do lot of passages and practice questions. I tried to at least have a conceptual grasp of the concepts even if I couldn't remember formulas/equations. You will find that having a conceptual understanding is much more important.

 

[superdevil]

wanted to be part of the official thread....

here i go...

1) Your individual scores and composite score.
35S: PS=12 VR=12 BS=11 WS=S

2) The study method used for each section
read TPR's books, made flash cards when appropriate

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers,
AAMC, etc)
TPR materials, EK AO (really only useful for bio, though)

4) Which practice tests did you use?
TPR tests (especially the verbal on A-D), AAMC tests 3R-6R

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biological Sciences

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
start early, but pace yourself. if you can afford a prep course, its a good idea (although absolutely NOT necessary). take all of the AAMC tests no matter what--very important. stop studying altogether about 3 days prior to test to let brain re-solidify!

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
started in january, not counting TPR lecture hours i "studied" about 1-2 hours per day, including weekends.

good luck!

 

[elephunt]

1) Your individual scores and composite score.
38Q: 11 PS, 15 VR, 12 BS

2) The study method used for each section
Took the Kaplan class; reviewed with my class notes and flashcards as the class covered each topic; after each of our full-length practice exams, I went over the questions I missed or had to guess on and tried to review the material I was having trouble with. BTW, Kaplan breaks down the practice tests you take into topic areas (e.g., circuits in PS, or genetics in BS) so you really know what topics you tend to miss questions on. This helped me study more efficiently because I didn't waste time on topics I already knew.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers,
AAMC, etc)
Kaplan materials, especially the extra materials they provide and the explanations they give you for each question on the practice exams--this helped me figure out why I was messing up certain types of questions and what particular subject areas I needed to brush up on.

4) Which practice tests did you use?
Kaplan practice tests 1, 4, 5 and 6; also Kaplan practice subject tests for the stuff I had trouble with (cell biology, electricity and circuits, etc.) and some of the Kaplan practice section tests (these are like whole practice PS or BS sections.)

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Economics and Communications

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
I'm a procrastinator; if you are too, then a review course helps because it forces you to go over the material and review a little at a time (as opposed to a mad rush of studying two weeks before the exam.) However, if you're a disciplined studier, I'm sure that you could easily prepare by yourself without a review course. I'm not trying to sound like a Kaplan disciple (and no, I'm not on their payroll) but the breakdowns they provided of what subjects/questions you were having trouble with really helped me.
Also, I took second semester physics, biology, anatomy/physiology and organic chem the same semester as the MCAT, which was really really hard but totally helped as far as having the material fresh in my brain. It was frustrating sometimes because I would be taking the practice MCATs without ever learning about circuits or optics or aromatic compounds or whatever, but on the other hand by the time I took the MCAT I had learned everything I needed AND since I'd just learned it, I really really knew it. Oh yeah, and the formula sheet that Kaplan gives you helped me too--I never needed a single formula that wasn't on that sheet for the actual exam--meaning I didn't waste time memorizing extraneous formulas.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Started in Janury; about 8 hours a week (excluding the 6 hours of Kaplan class time and the 8 hours on Saturdays for practice exams.) I also studied roughly 24-7 for during the two weeks leading up to the MCAT...and yes, I crammed the day before. But I did stop studying the night before at around 7:00--I figured at that point that I knew about all I was going to know.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

 

[lorelei]

1) Your individual scores and composite score.
43R: 14 PS, 15 VR, 14 BS

2) The study method used for each section
Verbal: did practice tests, noted what mistakes I kept making. Since I read quite a lot, I've always been strong in verbal so I didn't concentrate on this section.

Physical Sci: I was an engineering major, so physics wasn't a problem. It had been awhile since I took gen chem though, so I pulled out my old textbooks and worked my way through the topics I had trouble with.

Biological Sci: I took organic chem during the semester I was studying, so it was already fresh in my mind I didn't do a whole lot of extra review. For biology, I read through my old texts and notes.

My overall study method: Slogged through the whole review book, writing down equations and key points. This was about 3 pages worth. I posted it in my bathroom. Then I took my first practice test. I kept a list of the topics (e.g. acid-base reactions, electrochemistry) and marked down how many questions I missed for each topic, then studied extra for the topics I did worse on. I repeated this every week.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers,
AAMC, etc)
Peterson's Gold Standard book, or some name like that. I didn't really like it; the typos and grammatical errors didn't shore up my confidence, plus they used the "wrong" letters (e.g. L for torque). But it was good to have a review aimed at the test.

4) Which practice tests did you use?
AAMC tests 3-7. These were really useful, especially the explanations.

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Computer Engineering and German

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
It's really key to make sure that you study what you need to - not just "bio" but "hormones". Don't waste your time reviewing stuff you already know.

If you've got time, I recommend taking upper-division science classes. If I hadn't had statics, thermo, and circuits, I would have needed to study a lot more on physics, for example.

For verbal, you definitely need to be reading. I would choose an essay magazine, like the New Yorker or the Atlantic, and some pop-science books, like the ones by Jared Diamond or Carl Sagan. I wrote more about this in another thread.

The absolute #1 skill I used on the MCAT was dimensional analysis. There are a lot of PS questions where you don't even need to understand what they're asking; if you can figure out the units of the answer you'll be golden. This is also useful for checking your calculations - if the units cancel properly you know you haven't made a stupid mistake like dividing instead of multiplying.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Started in February, probably did 8-12 hours/week of pure MCAT studying and sample test taking. But on the other hand, all my organic chem studying plus all the studying I did in college really applied to the MCAT too.

 

[deuist]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
PS-11, BS-10, VR-10, WS-Q == 31Q


2) The study method used for each section
I read the Kaplan books from cover to cover and did all of the practice problems. I also looked up quotations online and wrote essays regularly for the last three weeks.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

4) Which practice tests did you use?
All of the free ones through Kaplan, Princeton Review, and AAMC. I also had a book from REA. I suggest that you STAY AWAY FROM REA. Find a better book with full-length practice exams.

5) What was your undergraduate major?
physics, religion (undergrad)
materials science (grad)

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
You don't need to pay a thousand dollars for a practice course -- I didn't. You do, however, need to have a substancial background in each subject and should take as many practice tests as possible.

I also recommend reading material which is unrelated to class each night for a year leading up to the test. First, get a book on speed reading ("Reading Smart" from the Princeton Review is a good start). Second, pick up novels and books that you would like to read -- philosophy, history, etc. Read these every night for 30 minutes to an hour before going to bed. Finally, start reading journal articles so you can get a feel for scientific writing. Find a subject that you like -- genetics, biomaterials, physical chemistry, who cares -- and follow the progress of research. Look through the bibliography of each article to catch up to speed. Most importantly, don't get nervous. I woke the morning of April 17th saying, "Time to take the MCAT! It's my bitch!"

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
One hour a night for three months (a chapter a day from the Kaplan books), and a practice test every Saturday for 8 straight weeks. Take the practice tests under the same conditions as the real exam: I woke up at 6:30 and went to the classroom where the exam was scheduled (my school leaves the buildings open on the weekends) and then timed myself according to the rules.

 

[NikkiFSU]

And I thought a 30 was good! Grrr.....you guys on here are RIDICULOUS, congratulations
Oh well, Nothing a little cleavage at the interview can't make up for


1) Your individual scores and composite score
8VR, 11PS, 11BS = 30R

2) The study method used for each section
Took Kaplan and studied a few hrs a night for 4 months


5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
Do a LOT of practice tests....can't be over-emphasized

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
~ 4 months

 

[pisceswonder1]

Hopefully I can remember all those questions!

Major: Biology
MCAT=36Q , V=11, B=12, P=13

Study time: I took the April MCAT and basically started studying hard core in February although I had been studying off and on since August. From February on I studied probably about 7 hours per week, plus an occasional practice test every other weekend.

I used the AAMC practice tests...3R, 4R, 5R, 6R...if i were you I'd get 7R too

My technique was to take a TON of practice tests....retook the AAMC ones after I took them the first time and also took some of the Kaplan tests etc. I don't think Kaplan tests, however, are very reflective of the true MCAT.

I didn't take a review course...just studied on my own. It requires some discipline to do it that way but it's not too bad. I used mostly my old textbooks for the BS and PS sections. Those review books don't go into depth enough to actually help out, I think. Just an opinion though. I just read a lot for the verbal section...probably should have done more than that!

Good luck....you can do it!

 

[btowngirl]

1) Your individual scores and composite score.
36Q: 14 PS, 10 VR, 12 BS

2) The study method used for each section
Verbal: EK's 101 Passages (only half the book). I started at 6's and finished at 10's. I wish I had done the whole book because I kept improving.

Physical Sci: 1001 chem and 1001 physics from EK. Also, my boyfriend has a PhD in chem so he spent like 20 hours going over the answers I didn't understand.

Biological Sci: EK bio. I wish EK's new bio 101 series was out. I definitely would have bought it.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers,
AAMC, etc)
EK

4) Which practice tests did you use?
AAMC tests 3-7 and 3 EK full lengths (def. worth the $20 each)

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Neurobiology (minor in BioE)

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

I took the test last August (29P I think I have posted this like 10x, sorry to be annoying) and used a Kaplan class. I was totally burnt out by the time I took the exam. This time, I finished my material review early (although it was easier since I had studied once before). I spent the majority of my time from February through April doing practice problems/exams. The other thing I did which was very helpful was to break full length sections into smaller three and four passage sections. I found it much easier to stay focused and not hate the exam by taking 3, 27 minute verbal sections (3 passages in each) than 1 whole one at 85 minutes. Sure you need to be able to do a whole section and a whole full length but you dont have to do that often. My friend is a MD/PhD student at UCSF and said to me "Keep in mind that when ppl train for marathons, they do not run a marathon for the 5 saturdays before the real race. They would be exhausted and would do horribly". I tried to apply that thinking to all of my studying and "training".

I posted this somewhere else, but it is worth saying again. GO find PhD students in physics, chem, ochem and bio and go over the questions you dont understand. You don't need to pay someone familiar with the MCAT 3x the amount of money that you can pay a PhD student to go over material. And last but not least, dont spend much time on the writing section. Be able to write an essay in 30 minutes and then stop practicing. Your writing ability will stay about the same no matter how much you practice.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Mid Jan. - mid feb. = material review
Med feb- exam = practice problems/exams, reviewed material i kept getting
wrong.

2-3 hours a day, everyday.

 

[Medikit]

1) Your individual scores and composite score.
36N PS 14 V 10 BS 12

2) The study method used for each section
For Biology I read the biology portion of the Kaplan book during christmas break. I did really well and this was the last time I studied it, plus I took microbio and 2nd semester Biochem during the Spring.

For General Chem, Organic Chem, and Physics I looked at the Kaplan book and found areas where I was weak. I would then take time to read that section from my textbooks.

For Verbal I really didn't recognize that I had a problem (sometimes couldn't finish the section, even when I did I would get a 9) until 3 weeks before the test. I read a lot of verbal passages from a verbal passages book.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

Kaplan but mostly textbooks.

4) Which practice tests did you use?
Some Kaplan tests found in a Kaplan test book, I don't know what it's called. Also AAMC 1,7

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry and General Biology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Practice tests are great. Make sure you simulate real conditions as much as possible. The sound of other people turning pages nearly got to me during the PS section, but I was able to block it out pretty quick. Do not take your tests untimed, it won't help you at all. Preferably when you practice do all the sections in order, this did have a tendency to kill my weekend, though .

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Hmm, I consider all my undergraduate coursework as studying for the MCAT. However I probably spent 6 hours reading the BS section for the Biology. I proabably spent about 10 hours total working on verbal passages, excluding time spent on practice tests. I spent about 50 hours total spread out between early March and the test working on chem/ochem/physics. Then there are the practice tests all of which I did timed. I hate studying stuff that I've learned before, so studying for the mcat was an extremely frustrating process for me.

 

[ucsdmd2b]

1) Your individual scores and composite score.
34Q: 9P 13V Q 12B

2) The study method used for each section
I read the TPR review for each section before it was taught in class, that way I would have some idea of what was going on and could get clarification on the stuff I had trouble with. In the 3 weeks before the test, I went back through the books and took notes on major topics. I spent a lot of time at the end doing physics problems over and over until I could understand it
3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)

TPR for everything

4) Which practice tests did you use?
All the TPRs, AAMC 5 and 6

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biology and Psychology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Start early, I did made sure I did passages for an hour in my break between school and TPR classes, then I would do another hour at night. I stayed caught up that way without feeling like I was cramming too much. I also made myself stay caught up in my academic classes, since I had to take finals in them 4 weeks before the MCAT, it was really helpful not to be stressed then. Practice tests are really really important, its the only way to have any idea of what to expect, and to learn your weak areas. Do all the proctered tests if your taking a review, and try and set aside time to do a few others on your own. One other thing that helped me to stay sane was taking spring break (which was 3 weeks before the test) and actually using it as a break. I did diags on the plane, but didn't study the rest of the week. I think I would have gone insane if I hadn't had that time off, and it gave me incentive to make sure I didn't fall behind.
7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Probably 20-25 hrs/week from Jan-Mar (including TPR classes), probably closer to 30 in the last couple weeks before the test.

 

[adorible23]

1) Your individual scores and composite score.
34T: 9P 12V Q 13B

2) The study method used for each section
Science:
- Reviewed Princeton Review sections following class
- took notes/note cards and made my own outlines of the princeton review subject summaries
- Memorized physics equations!
Verbal and Writing:
- TPR practice questions
- TPR practice essay topics, pared down topics to a handful of key comparisons and read up on current events/ history that I could use as an example for each

4) Which practice tests did you use?
All the TPRs

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biology and Psychology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

I took the August test and had summer classes four days/week. I treated it like a summer job and spent 8hrs per day ( including classes, but not weekends) studying and enjoyed myself the rest of the time. If you have a solid basis in the review books you should be fine, its not as scary as it is made out to be. Also if you take it in Aug. remember you can submit your amcas early without the scores...critical!

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
30 hrs/ week or so, 2 months

*8) Acceptances with score: Georgetown, Colorado, UC Irvine, UCSD
Waitlists with score: Washington U. St. Louis, USC, UC Davis

 

[BubbleWand1]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) Your individual scores and composite score.
33Q: 11 PS, 11 VR, 11BS

2) The study method used for each section
i took TPR's mcat class and used all the books that came with the class. additionally, I used EK 101's passages and 1001 questions for verbal, orgo and physics respectively...

3)what materials you used for each section - TPR, examcrackers and all the AAMC tests

4) Which practice tests did you use?
AAMC tests 3-7 and TPR A-D, 4902, 4911-4931

5) What was your undergraduate major?
biology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
i took the test twice - the first last august (a bit prematurely because i hadn;'t yet taken physics) and i got a 27, this time around, i took tpr and got a 33...the best advice i can offer is do as many practice tests again and make an effort to understand why you get each question wrong (and even right). there's only so many passages they can come up without reusing some material and what not so if you understand the reasoning behind every question, you're set....if you're weak on one subject, use the ek 1001 books, they are by far the best for getting concepts down

if you keep practicing and dont burn yourself out...finish going over ALL the material a few weeks before the test and spend the last few weeks reviewing and doing practice tests...i think the best thing i did was to stop doing anything mcat related the thursday afternoon before the test, i went into the test saturday morning treating it just like another test...i had slept well, wasn't too nervous because i wasn't cramming and i did well

so just stay confident, optimistic and motivated..its hell at times but its doable if its what you really want to do


7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
1st time i took it...may - august, about 35 hours a week
2nd time - mid november - april but my course was a stretch course and i studied only about 15-20 hours a week..its easier the second time around because you just focus on your problem areas

good luck!

 

[bludevla4]

) Your individual scores and composite score.
39N: 14 PS, 13 VR, 12 BS

2) The study method used for each section
Took TPR, went to most of the classes, and did pretty much all the practice exercises. I didn't do as much verbal practice as I did for the other sections, just because there is nothing to memorize for verbal. I also read through the study guides for PS and BS, but not for verbal. Again, I didn't feel there was much to gain from the verbal review materials.

3)what materials you used for each section - TPR materials

4) Which practice tests did you use?
Whichever ones you take in TPR - I think I took 4 of the 5. Practice tests really do help even though it is painful to take the MCAT that many times.

5) What was your undergraduate major?
biology

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
I wish I had tried to get on a different sleep schedule prior to the exam. Instead, I was wide awake the night before the MCAT and only ended up sleeping for a few hours. I think fatigue really started to set in by the bio section, which probably hurt my score. Plus, I think it'd be better to not have to rely on stimulants to keep you going on test day. So get a good night's sleep.

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
for 2 months: class 4 times/week for 3 hours, studied about 1-2 hours a day, then crammed for several days straight before the test

 

[slackerjock]

1) Your individual scores and composite score
35O: 10V 13P 12B

2) The study method used for each section

studied solo and borrowed friends TPR stuff.

V: focus on understanding main idea in 2 minutes or less. must regurgitate main idea in two sentences or less.

P: high school chemistry + physics books.

B: TPR for bio, EK for orgo. internet for evolution terminology.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, etc)
TPR science, EK orgo

4) Which practice tests did you use?
AAMC 3-7
3 38
4 35
5 33
6 36
7 only did verbal

i thought the TPR diagnostic tests for the PS section were identical to the real deal. Not so much for Bio. Real deal had lot less orgo and lot more genetics n stuff


5) What was your undergraduate major?
science

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?
dont worry about too much, its a basic science test. take AAMC 3 first to feel good about yourself.


7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
2mths, 7-10 hrs/week

 

[EvoDevo]

Bump for my friends struggling to keep focused right now.

 

[CH3CH2OH]

Bump for my friends struggling to keep focused right now.

i'm sure they appreciate it